The Rylstone Rambler Railtour, Sat March 16th 1985
A 0645 Tour departure from New St meant the usual Crewe overnight. The booked very empty pair of 310s was joined around 2240 from Leighton with the usual power car screams and extreme heat. Rugby South bay saw us bail into the chill night air. Rugby as usual was busy with freight, van and overnight trains but unfortunately no “roarers” produced.
So we ( i was with Ian Smith, “the buzzard” of Cornish fame), joined, muttering like madman “rancid can, rancid can, rancid can…!!!”86213 for a short doss during the blast down the Trent Valley. At Crewe the buffet was busy with bashers, clubbers, drunks and bemused normals! Our stay at Crewe was shorter than expected as we noticed 85025 hovering and a Holyhead – Euston (via New St) Relief rolled in with 47523 powering. As expected 85025 replaced the 47 and 52.68 Roarer miles were enjoyed to New St
Old Landore boilered syphons 37186/37187 arrived virtually right time and we were soon away on a now busy train. Around 7am the atmosphere was understandably subdued. Burton, then Stenson Jn, then Toton where a decent pair of steaming rats took us forward. 25044 and required 25060 going forward 20 odd late to Worksop where they ran round before Tinsley, Wakefield Kirkgate and the depths of Healey Mills Yard.
25044 and 25060 running round the tour at Worksop
56075 looking tempting from the tour at Worksop
Many howls of anguish as the Eastern had supplied “rancid EH” 31461 and 31433 for what was to be our power for much of the Northern section of the tour. Despite the sunny weather the tour atmosphere remain subdued as our peds powered North to Skipton. The forwarding engine for the Rylstone branch was expected to be one or a pair of 25’s on Skipton loco sidings. Unfortunately our driver opted for 31248!
Still we enjoyed the single 31 powering the 12 mk i’s and idling 31’4’s on the rear with a good 25 minutes of solid, warbling thrash. We then stopped at what we believe were the Rylstone Tilcon depot gates before we returned to Skipton. The return route included a run round at Hellifield which offered a bail from the train for the first time since New St.
31461 and 31433 running round the tour at Hellifield
Copy Pit, then Hebden Bridge and back to Healey Mills where our rats took over. They were worked hard, reportedly hitting 92mph during fast running between Sheffield and Derby. From Derby 37186 and 37187 replaced the flying rats and we bailed off, what at the time had been a very average tour at New St around 2010.
Yet another can in 86241 on a Holyhead – Euston to Coventry for 310092 home via Northampton. I had a short walk home, the Buzzard a long cycle to his Leagrave home, we were made of stronger stuff back then
Pre Tour Moves
15/3/85 Fr
81021 1B07 1718 Euston-Northampton LB-MK
080 1627 Birmingham-Euston MK-LB
048} 2202 Euston-Rugby LB-RU
070}
16/3/85 Sa
86213 1F53 2350 Euston-Manchester/Liverpool RU-CR
85025 0100 Holyhead-Euston Relief CR-NS
86241 1A78 1620 Holyhead-Euston NS-CO
092 2021 Birmingham-Euston CO-LB
The Tour Moves
37186} 0250 Swansea-Hellifield Railtour NS-TO
37187}
25044} 0250 Swansea-Hellifield Railtour TO-HM
25060}
31461} 0250 Swansea-Hellifield Railtour HM-HM
31433}
31248 0250 Swansea-Hellifield Railtour SK-RY
25060} 1420 Hellifield-Swansea Railtour HM-DE
25044 }
37187 } 1420 Hellifield-Swansea Railtour DE-NS
37186 }
Other gen from the days
15th March 85 Fr
85019 1B09 1815 Euston-Northampton
86261 1S25 2240 Euston-Perth
16th March 85 Sa
86224 1S26 2330 Euston-Glasgow
86208 1G49 2320 Euston-Wolverhampton
86323 1S22 2335 Euston-Glasgow
47523 0100 Holyhead-Euston Relief
86257 1V62 2020 Aberdeen-Bristol
86215 1G00 0350 Crewe-Birmingham
Organiser – Severnside Railtours
Ching – ??
Timekeeping 40 late max
Stock 12 x Mk I
end
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